Top 10 Best Nerf Guns

Updated on August 15, 2015

What Are The Best Nerf Guns?

Find out which blasters made the cut in this comprehensive guide to the top 10 best Nerf guns currently available.

With the ever increasing rise in the popularity of Nerf guns more and more people are looking to get in on the fun and start building their own arsenal of cool Nerf blasters. If you're new to the world of Nerf or are looking to get a great gift for the Nerf fan in your life than this guide should aid you in your decision making process.

The guide below lists the top 10 best Nerf guns starting with number ten and counting down the list to number one. Also note that this guide is not static but, ever changing because new Nerf guns are released every year and if any of them are up to snuff you could see them here.

#10 - Nite Finder EX-3

The Nite Finder EX-3 is a single shot, stealthy, compact and durable Nerf gun. The blaster features an attached ammo rail which can hold up to three darts but, possibly the coolest feature of the Nite Finder is the battery powered laser sight located beneath the barrel. Activating the laser to line up a shot is easy to do by slightly depressing the trigger with your index finger.

The cool features of the Nite Finder EX-3 along with its ease of use and durability make it one of the best Nerf guns available today for not so careful small children (ages 4-6) or someone looking to get into Nerf guns on the cheap.

#9 - Deploy CS-6

The Deploy CS-6 is a fairly new innovation from Nerf due to its ability to transform from an easy to carry flashlight into a pump-action blaster. The whole transformation only takes a fraction of a second to complete and is controlled by a small button located on the top of the gun.

Avid Nerf players will also appreciate the included should strap which makes for easy handling of the blaster when it is and is not in use. The smooth pump-action handle usually chambers your next shot without a fight but, like most Nerf guns a dart could jam if you get too pump happy. Due to the Deploy's shorter firing range it's better used around the house but can suffice in outside close range battles.

#8 - Recon CS-6

The Recon CS-6 is basically several guns in one because it's made up of five interchangeable parts (barrel extension, shoulder stock, laser sight, scope and clip) that you can swap, add and remove to your liking. Without the barrel extension the Recon can send darts flying up to 30 feet but, can't quite achieve the same distances (about 10 feet less) when the extension is attached.

Over the last few years the Recon has become very popular with modding enthusiast because of its ease of customization and realistic looks straight out of the box. Anyone who is looking for a solid performer or an easy to modify gun should really give the Recon CS-6 a close look.

#7 - Barricade RV-10

The Barricade RV-10 is a battery powered 10-dart semi-auto blaster that provides good range and accuracy. Darts are fired by an electric flywheel that is controlled by a power switch located behind the trigger and must be turned on in order for the gun to operate. The nicest thing about the Barricade is its ease of use, darts are loaded effortlessly and jams are an extremely rare occurrence making it a very reliable gun to bring into a Nerf fight.

The Barricade's small size, ease of use and reliability make it great for smaller children and not so Nerf savvy people to pick up and start blasting away without any problems.

#6 - Vulcan EBF-25

Resembling a turret style machine gun the Vulcan EBF-25 is one of the more impressive looking Nerf guns on the market today. And along with those impressive looks comes impressive size and performance. Powered by six "D" batteries (yes, 6) the fully automatic Vulcan feeds the included 25 count ammo belt through the gun firing at 3 darts per second, making an extra belt with darts a must. Some people complain about the ammo belt jamming but, when inserted correctly you should not have a problem.

Due to the larger size and weight (around 7lbs) younger kids may have some touble handling and maneuvering the Vulcan but anyone 8 and up should be fine. So if you're looking for one of the best fully automatic Nerf guns available and want to intimidate and impress the competition than the Vulcan EBF-25 is the gun for you.

#5 - Alpha Trooper CS-18

The Alpha Trooper CS-18 is perfect for the player who likes to take out targets while on the move because of its compact lightweight design and rapid slam fire capability. The included large capacity 18-dart drum magazine also ensures less chance of being caught without ammo in a heated Nerf fight.

The Alpha Trooper has decent power and accuracy with the ability to hit any target within 20 feet making it more indoor friendly than more powerful Nerf guns. If you want to take the battle outside though and are seeking more power a simple air-resister mod can be performed to increase the firing distance by 10-15 feet.

#4 - Longshot CS-6

Another very popular Nerf gun especially with modders is the Longshot CS-6 due to its futuristic sniper like looks and ease of customization. Like the Recon you can easily swap parts and accessories from other Nerf N-Strike guns to create the look and feel you want. In its stock form and fully assembled the Longshot is one of the biggest Nerf guns available (along with the newer Longstrike) measuring in at over 3 feet long.

The Longshot uses a 6-dart clip system and an easy to pull bolt handle for chambering each round. When you're looking to fire your next shot you can aim with the included scope and hit targets up to 30 feet away with the pull of the trigger. Anyone ages 8 and up will have a great time playing with the Longshot CS-6.

#3 - Raider Rapid Fire CS-35

The Raider Rapid Fire CS-35 is a very well built and down right cool looking blaster featuring a large 35-dart drum magazine which is mounted on the left side of the gun. With the Raider you have to option to fire shots one at a time or completely unload the magazine in seconds with the front mounted rapid fire handle.

The Raider is one of the best Nerf guns because it's an all around high performance blaster great for outside battles, office wars or when playing a game of Humans vs. Zombies. And due to its moderate size anyone ages 5 and up will be able to Nerf away with ease.

#2 - Stampede ECS

The N-Strike Stampede ECS is a high tech fully automatic blaster that looks downright cool in the hands of anyone. The Stampede comes with a lot of useful features including an extended 18-dart clip, removable blast shield for taking cover and a pop out bi-pod that comes in handy when firing from the ground. The most impressive feature of the Stampede though is its fully automatic capability. Being able to unload 18 darts on someone in a few seconds is a thing of beauty but, just make sure you have an extra loaded clip on hand to make a safe retreat.

While the Stampede is one of the more expensive Nerf guns on the market today it is definitely worth the asking price for the amount of fun it provides. Anyone who can handle larger guns such as the Vulcan or Longshot will be right at home with the Stampede ECS.

#1 - Maverick

The Maverick made the top position as the best Nerf gun currently available because it is everything you really need in a Nerf gun. It's simple to use, powerful, accurate, durable and best of all cheap.

Anyone from a 3 year old child to a grown adult can pick up the Maverick and start having a blast without fiddling around with dart clips and power switches. You really owe it to yourself to have at least one Maverick in your Nerf arsenal. I promise that you will reaching for it time after time either as a primary or secondary weapon before you enter a Nerf battle. Plus if you're into Nerf gun mods than the Maverick is a perfect base to start on with countless awesome creations available to view online.

Comments 15 comments

Awesome, awesome hub :) I used to have the most epic nerf wars with my friends growing up. This makes me want to go out and buy like 5 guns, get my buddies together, and create forts out of blankets and chairs in the hallway.

HauserQ 5 years ago from Canada Author

Yeah, a good old fashion Nerf war is a lot of fun especially with the cool guns they have out now. Thanks for stopping by!

yeah i really like the spectre and the barricade they are my favorite nerf guns im am gonna get the barrel break i also have the quick 16 but find it very unreliable because it jams very easly when using slam fire.